I, too, will second what Kamilia had to say. When I was learning Arabic in Egypt, one of my roomates--who had an undergraduate in linguistics--was trying to make living by teaching ESL. Mind you, he did not have any technical qualification at all, no tesol program etc. But the going was tough: he would get an odd contract of short duration--but nothing substantial came till about a year into his stay. Another friend of mine, with two years of teaching ESL in Korea, was offered a job in Egypt right away. So ESL might look easy to get into but in reality it could take its own time once you get there. Of all the places you suggested, I would not think about Dubai or Beirut. As Kamilia put it, one of them is expensive (besides Dubai is just an urban jungle which is limited in cultural sense--and the presence of 80 percent expats makes it next to impossible to talk in Arabic); and the other one--Beirut--is not known for its stability. And the way things are going in Lebanon these days--what with the political assasination back in vogue and about 30 random bombings in the Christian areas of Lebanon in the last while--it does not look good.

This then leaves Cairo and Alexandria. Cairo is the center of all activity but it is not a city that is easy on senses, though it has its own charm. With 18 million people cramped in a very dense place, it is hard to find any respite from constant noice and activity, unless you go to the outlying areas. Alexandria is a beautiful city--as someone said it is Cannes with pimples (many of which only add to its beauty)--and has a cosmopolitan history, which goes back ages to the Greek and Italian influences. Besides like any port city, it is much more liberal. But I do not know what the situation will be about finding a job in Alexandria. Still I would recommend Alexandria, because of its nice location (the deep blue Mediterranean is beautiful) and relatively liberal culture.

From what I read, I do not think that you are going to work as a dancer. There are quite a few people who come to Egypt to learn raqs sharki. I am not an expert on raqs sharki and my information comes from reading local newspapers in Egypt. When I was in Cairo--about a year ago--there was a fierce resistance growing against the large number of foreign dancers who have come to Egypt to learn and make living as a dancer. Actually, the main complaint of the local dancers was against the Russian dancers who have come to Egypt to dance and have taken quite a few belly dancing jobs in the tourist industry. That the Russians are much more liberal in showing skin, plays to their advantage. The trade of belly dancing has also suffered because of the growing influence of political Islam and in the drop in numbers of Gulf sheiks who come to Cairo every summer to enjoy themselves. All these factors have built up resistance against foreign dancers, which shows in the tighter visa rules. But since you are not going their to work as a dancer, I would not be concerned about it either. You can get in with student visa and then once you find a job you can transition to work visa.

But people still go to Cairo to learn belly dancing--and local belly dancers still take in students. Might not be Fifi Abdu or Dina--but there are quite a few there to choose from. The low social standing of dancers is a given, not only in Egypt but in many other countries in East. That all being said, I too am of the opinion that if you get you grad degree before you go there, the transition will be much smoother.

Hi Carolina,

I have taught TEFL abroad for nearly 15 years. One thing you should consider is looking into a Cambridge certificate if you want to leave the US. Most places are looking for a CELTA certificate (A or B pass) for basic jobs. If you already have a University Linguistics degree, CELTA would be a great addition as it is teaching skills pure and you can get it done in 4 weeks. This also includes a lot of teaching practice. For better positions, you will need the DELTA, which is also from Cambridge and will take two months of intensive work plus several difficult exams and further teaching practice with observers from Cambridge. The DELTA is usually done after CELTA plus 2-3 years of teaching experience. The really good jobs will probably require an MA linguistics plus DELTA.

Unfortunately, American university qualifications just aren't what most employers abroad look for, unless you want to teach at University level over there, and then you must have years of experience.

Here's what I would do: Take the 4 week CELTA class from International House San Diego. It will give you the paper, the skills and practice you need. Then you'll be ready to teach. IH has a good placement system, and they can help you get work abroad. I know there is a British Council in Cairo who will hire Americans once they are there (but you will not get the full contract that a British citizen might get). But it's worth discussing with them. I'm not sure but I think there is an IH in Alexandria. When you get back from teaching abroad, then apply for your degree in Linguistics. Without CELTA, most sschools will not even consider you.

Have you checked out the jobs posted on TEFL.com and TESOL.com (or it might be .org)? It's a good way to see what most schools in the world are requiring. You will find for many CELTA is the basic qualification. Also check out "Linguist List". Finally if you want to talk to someone about the CELTA, drop in and talk to Richard Halstead, who is a CELTA trainer and very knowledgable about the EFL world. 619-299-2339. He would certainly let you observe a class. Volunteering in an ESL class is certainly a good experience, but it won't help you learn to teach EFL abroad. There is a huge difference.

EFL has been a great career for me, and it seems once you get started it can be an unpredictable road that takes you in directions you never planned. I have taken CELTA, DELTA, and done an MA Linguistics, and finally I am back in the US and have done a teaching credential and now teach ESL in a high school. It's a great job but I miss working abroad a lot. EFL is especially good if it is jut a vehicle for enabling travel, experience, and dance lessons. If you decide to make it a career, it can be very difficult as salaries are never really high and you often have to fight for hours and wait in line for good jobs. Some teachers report a great deal of getting overlooked for promotions because they are women. Benefits are hard to come by in some jobs. etc.

A good friend of mine, currently living in Malaysia, worked in Cairo for the summer program. (This, by the way, would be the best way for you to get in - take a summer job at an IH or at the BC. Sometimes you can just take over a year-round teachers flat) You could contact her for more info on Cairo living/teaching if you like, and I can give you her email on Tuesday at EDA class. She can also give you the perspective from someone who has made EFL a career.

Good luck to you! I'm jealous! Julie